The embodiments in the present disclosure relate to soil and rock grouting using a hydrajetting tool. Specifically, the embodiments of the present disclosure relate to using a hydrajetting tool to inject curable cement slurries into unstable soil and rock, referred to herein as “grouting,” and all of its grammatical variants, to stabilize the unstable soil and rock.
Roads, structures, and other infrastructure (collectively referred to herein as “infrastructure”) may be placed atop a soil-based substrate. As used herein, the term “soil-based substrate,” “soil,” and all grammatical variants thereof refers to the upper layer of earth which may be dug, plowed, and/or which plants may grow, typically comprising organic remains, clays, and other particulates. In some instances, the soil substrate may have poor load bearing capacity (e.g., load bearing strength and capacity). Such soil may be referred to as “unstable soil,” or soil that because of its nature or the influence of related conditions, cannot be depended upon to remain in place without extra support. For example, soil may be unstable if it has a plurality of flow paths running throughout (e.g., it is loosely packed) or if it has been or is expected to be exposed to significant wetting that may lead to such flow paths. Soil may additionally be unstable if it contains constituents that are particularly brittle or otherwise subject to crushing upon encountering loads associated with most infrastructure that may lead to flow paths. Such unstable soil may result in infrastructure foundation or other structural damage (e.g., cracking and uneven surfaces in roads, walls or buildings), which could lead to substantially costly repairs, as well as danger to human life.
In some instances, infrastructure may be placed upon a rock formation. As used herein, the term “rock formation,” “rock,” and any grammatical variants thereof refers to natural substantially solid mineral material as part of the earth, exposed or underlying soil and manmade substantially solid mineral material (e.g., foundation for infrastructure formed from rock). Such rocks may be themselves unstable and have poor load bearing capacity. Such “unstable rock formations” or “unstable rock,” including all of its grammatical variants, may be characterized, for example, as having cracks or other discontinuities running therethrough that decrease its load bearing capacity. Natural rock formations may become unstable over time by erosion or other exposure to the natural elements. Some manmade rock formations may become unstable for a number of reasons including, for example, poor curing of the foundation material (e.g., ineffective hydration of cements) or particularly arid or dry conditions leading to cracking (i.e., drought conditions). Such unstable rock having infrastructure placed thereon, like the unstable soil, may result in costly damage to the infrastructure, as well as danger to human life.